Sadr supporters return to Baghdad streets despite government pleas

July 15, 2016 8:34 AM

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BAGHDAD Thousands of supporters of powerful Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr filled a central Baghdad square on Friday, disregarding government pleas to scrap protests it said would distract from the war against Islamic State.

The demonstration ended a respite from street actions which in April and May saw protesters storm Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone government district twice, hampering parliament for weeks and causing several deaths.